Cable Ties

Cable ties are self-locking, strap-type fasteners—the most common are one piece and molded from nylon. Invented in 1958 by Thomas & Betts to harness wires in aircraft, cable ties have largely replaced the time-consuming art of lacing harnesses with wax coated lacing cord or lacing tape, which requires a stitch about every 1/2". As a fast, easy to use and economical solution for what is called wire management or cable management—bundling and securing wires and cables—cable ties enjoy a wide variety of unrelated applications in industries beyond electrical and electronic. Although some types use a metal insert (tooth) as the locking mechanism, most rely on a ratchet action: finely spaced sloping teeth on the band and a pawl (hinged tongue) in the head to lock the cable tie in position. Once adjusted, the exposed end of the band is cut off flush at the top of the head. The tails are serrated to reduce slippage and inclined (angled) to allow for easier pickup of ties lying on flat surfaces. Also known as

tie wraps, wire ties, zip ties,

they cannot be reused unless they are releasable. Commonly available cable ties, identification ties and cable tie mounts are listed in Table 1.

Cable tie size is specified as width and length. Additional specifications can include maximum bundle diameter (the longer the length, the greater the bundle diameter) and minimum tensile strength (wider widths have higher tensile strength). Cable ties sometimes referred to as miniature are about 0.10" (3/32") wide; medium duty are 0.14" (9/64") and 0.18" (3/16"); and heavy duty are about 0.30" (5/16") and 0.35" (11/32") wide. Lengths range from about 4" to 48"; same-width ties can be connected end-to-end to extend length. Typical minimum tensile strengths are about 18, 30, 40, 50, 120 and 175 lbs.

Nylon is a strong material that can withstand a large temperature range—it was developed in the early 1930s by DuPont and announced in a press release dated Oct. 26, 1938. However, its resistance to premature aging caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation is poor (a primary source of natural UV is the Sun). Nylon is also hygroscopic (absorbs moisture), which can affect tensile strength, stiffness and elongation.

HellermannTyton commercial grade black cable ties are considered "weatherable" because their formulation is said to include 1% carbon. "Weatherable" means they can be used outdoors and will tolerate some UV radiation—more UV than natural ties. However, only those ties specified as UV Stabilized contain 2% carbon to prolong their life by blocking harmful UV rays. However, 2% carbon does not make their life indefinite. Consider instead materials such as Halar and Tefzel, which offer superior UV resistance, and stainless steel is impervious to UV radiation although stainless steel ties can cut into wires and cables. Other black cable ties may only be colored black using a dye that offers little resistance to UV.

Cable ties and accessories identified as HellermannTyton are domestic (made in the USA). See Table 2 for HellermannTyton cable tie and identification tie specifications, and Table 3 for HellermannTyton cable tie mount specifications.

Lashing cable ties, also known as lashing ties, are heavy duty, extra-long cable ties used to "lash" (fasten, tie) large objects and are popular in HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) and other applications. Note: UL (Underwriters Laboratories) listed cable ties may be needed to comply with NEC (National Electrical Code) regulations when used in air handling spaces or other situations that require low smoke and heat generation, among other characteristics.

Use a screw or adhesive mounting base with standard cable ties to secure bundles and harnesses to surfaces. Screw mount ties have a mounting hole adjacent to their head to allow for mounting with a single screw. Stud mount cable ties self attach to the threads of a 1/4-20 stud or screw—no nut is needed because the tie locks itself in place. Identification ties have a large flat rectangular pad that can be hot stamped or labeled with a marking pen or adhesive label.

Cable tie tools speed installation by tensioning and cutting the tie. Manual installation is also possible; flush cutting diagonal cutters help avoid sharp corners on the cutoff band end. To remove a cable tie, cut the tie being careful not to damage the wire or cable.

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